In the progress of highly integrated, fine semiconductor devices, highly accurate mass spectrometry for a very small region has been requested. Thereupon, laser SNMS (Sputtered Neutral Mass Spectrometry) is attracting attention. In the laser SNMS, particles emitted from the surface of a sample under irradiation with an ion beam are irradiated with laser light. Thereby, the particles are ionized, followed by mass spectrometry of the resulting ion particles.
In the case of mass spectrometry by the laser SNMS, detection accuracy of an ion particle is affected by measurement conditions such as irradiation conditions for the laser light and mass spectrometry conditions for the ion particle. However, adjustment of the measurement conditions is complex and should needs experienced skills, which takes much time.